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History Germany > Creation and Collapse Of The Weimar Republic > Flashcards

Creation and Collapse Of The Weimar Republic Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Constitution?

A

A set of principals that set out the distribution of power within a political system, the relationships between political institutions, the limits of government jurisdiction, the rights of citizens and the method of amending the constitution itself.

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2
Q

What is the main purpose of a Constitution?

A

It’s a legal limit for the government and the people, it also creates a boundary.

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3
Q

Reasons why the Constitution was necessary

A
  1. ‘Revolution from above’
  2. The main political parties wanted a greater say in the management of the country
  3. The military wanted the new government to be blamed for the loss of the war
  4. To deal with the economic collapse and stop workers etc from mutiny
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4
Q

Some primary left wing ideas

A
  1. Promoting equality
  2. High taxation (redistribute wealth from richest to poorest)
  3. Represent working class
  4. Health and unemployment benefits
  5. Expanded role for the government
  6. State ownership and control of economy
  7. Look to the future (idealist)
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5
Q

Some right wing ideas

A
  1. Value tradition and authority
  2. Freedom is more important than equality
  3. Low taxation (keep your own money)
  4. Private enterprise and free market
  5. Less welfare
  6. Power of government is minimised
  7. Support middle and upper classes
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6
Q

German parties from far left to far right

A 
KPD (Communist)
USPD (Independent socialists)
SPD (Social Democratics)
Centre
DDP (Democratic)
DVP (German people's)
DNVP (German national people's)
NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers)
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7
Q

KPD (Communist Party) information

A

Ernst Thalman
Working class & ex USPD
Destroy the Republic/capitalism with violence
Oppose the Treaty of Versailles

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8
Q

USPD (Independent socialists) information

A

Broke away from SPD in 1917
Industrial workers disillusioned with SPD
Against democracy
Oppose Treaty of Versailles

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9
Q

SPD (Social democratic) information

A 
Friedrich Ebert
Represent working class
Supports democracy
Against far left
Support social reform
Support Treaty of Versailles
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10
Q

Centre party information

A

Heinrich Bruning and Franz Von Papen
German Catholics
Supports republic
Support Treaty of Versailles

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11
Q

DDP (Democratic) Information

A

Middle class and business interests
Supports the Republic
Supports social reform
Support the Treaty of Versailles

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12
Q

DVP (German people’s party) information

A

Gustav Stresemann
Conservative and monarchist
Grows to support the Republic
White collar workers, industrialists and businesses
Against Treaty of Versailles but agree to fulfil it

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13
Q

DNVP (National People’s party) information

A 
Hostile to Republic
Want the monarchy to return
Conservative
Anti-socialist and anti-Semitic
Reject Treaty of Versailles
Nationalists and want union with Austria
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14
Q

NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party) information

A

Adolf Hitler
Anti-Republic, Anti-Semitic
Strongly nationalist

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15
Q

Main similarities between the old and new Weimar Constitution

A
  1. Both can rule without Reichstag in emergency
  2. Laws need approval of majority of Reichstag deputies
  3. Head of state can appoint chancellors
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16
Q

Main differences between the old and new Weimar Constitution

A
  1. Inherited leader vs elected leader
  2. Reichstag now can be elected by men and women
  3. Now introduced more social rights
  4. Became a federal state
17
Q

Failure of the voting system

A

Proportional representation meant the proportion of votes was the same to the seats in the Reichstag, this meant it required many coalitions and weak governments

18
Q

Failure of Emergency Powers

A

Article 48 meant the president can give the chancellor powers who can suspend the constitution and rule by decree and suspend all laws for a limited period of time, this was often used too much

19
Q

Civil rights in the Constitution

A

Universal suffrage
People could pass laws through plebiscites
Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were protected

20
Q

Why did many Germans dislike the new civil rights?

A

They said how Germany had suddenly become the most radical democracy in Europe

21
Q

What was the problem with passing laws in the federal system?

A

The 17 states had their own Lander governments and were responsible for police, education and law, but any laws they passed could be overruled by the Reichstag

22
Q

Article 48 under President Ebert

A

Successful, suppressed uprisings by workers in Saxony, Thuringia and the Ruhr. Only time it wasn’t was when the army refused to help with the Kapp Putsch, it was the key to defending the Republic from enemies.

23
Q

Article 48 under President Hinden

A

Believed in authority and that parliament was the enemy of a good government. Removed the Democratic state government in Prussia in 1932. Used article 48 44 times in 1931 and 69 times in 1932

24
Q

Ways the constitution strengthened the Republic

A
  1. Germany had an official national army
  2. Men and women considered equals and adults could vote
  3. Freedom of speech and to protest
  4. Ebert used Article 48 to defend the Republic from revolution
25
Q

Ways the constitution weakened the Republic

A
  1. Many questioned as to what was classed as an emergency for Article 48
  2. Proportional representation
  3. Extremist parties only needed 60,000 votes for a seat
26
Q

Political Divisions

A

KPD had 70 seats in 1930 but would not cooperate with other parties.
USPD disbanded in mid 1920’s
SPD Socialists led most of the coalition governments 1919-1933
20 separate coalitions longest lasted 2 years
Ebert used Article 48 over 100 times 1923-24

27
Q

Moderate Parties were weak

A

DDP could not attract mass support 5% 1928 and 1% 1932

Centre Party strongly associated with Roman Catholicism which diminishes its broader appeal

28
Q

Several parties did not support the Republic

A

DNVP opposed the Weimar Republic until 1925
DVP was hostile to the Republic until mid 1920’s
KPD and NSDAP never supported the Republic and grew more powerful from 1930

29
Q

Key aspects of the KPD from 1929-1933

A

1928-11% vote 1932-17%
Over 360,000 members who were mostly from industrial working classes
Didn’t cooperate with other parties and were funded a lot by the USSR
Red front had over 130,000 members and often fought with the Nazi SA
30 were shot by police in June 1932

30
Q

Key aspects of the NSDAP from 1929-1933

A

1928-3% vote 1933-44%
Targeted small business owners and respected women and promised to protect Germany from communism. Protect traditional values and provide work, offered national rebirth and opposed democracy.
Soldiers and unemployed men joined the SA, intimidated others and refused to work with other parties

31
Q

How did extremist parties weaken the Weimar Republic?

A

They both opposed democracy
Refused to work with other parties
Were willing to use violence

32
Q

Give ways the failure of the Weimar was not down to political parties

A

The SPD were always the biggest party until 1932 and they supported democracy
Grand coalition formed by Muller in 1928 did well with things like the Young Plan and naval construction program
The Wall Street Crash in 1929 gave massive support to the NSDAP which wasn’t the other parties fault

33
Q

Who are the Freikorps?

A

Ex-soldiers or those who wanted to be fighting in the war. Worked alongside the army to stop many uprisings including the Spartacist uprising. Helped legitimise the use of political violence and the use of nationalist violence against the political left

34
Q

How did the judiciary weaken the Republic?

A

Only one man was brought to justice for the murder of Rathenau (finance minister) even though a gang was responsible
Favoured the right, Hitler was given 5 years after the Munich Putsch in 1924 whereas Fechenbach was given 11 years after the Bavarian revolutionary government in 1918

35
Q

How did the army weaken the Republic?

A

The army was dominated by the Prussian Junker elite who were against democracy

36
Q

How did the civil service weaken the Republic?

A

They weren’t loyal to the government and would often allow fight between the SA and Red front to happen in the streets

37
Q

Strengths and weaknesses with Eberts rule?

A

Strengths: Gifted negotiator, wanted to improve pay of German workers, made an alliance with the right wing to stop communism
Weaknesses: Acceptance of ToV was unpopular, Ebert-Groener pact gave army too much independence, used emergency powers often between 1923-1924

38
Q

Strengths and weaknesses under Hindenburg’s rule

A

Strengths: Viewed as a hero, got the right wing to support the Weimar, was leader during the Grand coalition
Weaknesses: Favoured replacing democracy with authoritarian rule, appointed authoritarian chancellors and increasingly used Article 48

History Germany (13 decks)

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